15 Aug 2016

Two South African nationals accused of promoting human trafficking are expected to launch fresh application for bail when they come before Gaborone Village Chief Magistrate Mr Mompati Taolo on August 16.

The bail application comes after the duo failed to convince the court to drop charges against them recently after the prosecution requested that their trial which was set for August 2 be put on hold because there was a pending similar case before the High Court to determine whether such cases could be heard by lower court or not.

Magistrate Taolo concurred with prosecutor from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ms Priscilla Israel that while it means that the accused would have to stay in prison for a little longer, it would be ill-advised to go on with the trial and later receive communication that such cases should be trialed at the High Court.

He further said looking at the fact that the accused were arrested in March this year, the investigation was relatively speedy and was therefore optimistic that the September 19 High Court ruling on the similar matter would pave way for successful completion of the matter.

The accused in the case were Hanamantsi Jakobus Lekena of Masacani Mega, Ramatlabama in South Africa, who works as a cleaner at Palms Hotel and Antoinette Relebohile Nthoba of Pimville Zone 5 in Soweto, South Africa who is a butchery operator. 

They are facing a single count of promoting trafficking in persons.

According to the charge sheet, the two accused, Lekena and Nthoba on or about March 4, this year at Tlokweng Border acting together in concert promoted the trafficking of two females aged 20 and 23 years from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to Gaborone in transit to South Africa by providing recruitment materials, transportation and transfer facilities. 

Nthoba's Lawyer Mr Friday Leburu has on several occasion failed to persuade the court to grant his client bail while Lekena, who is unrepresented has time and again requested for bail, noting that he could never abscond because that would be a fruitless exercise particularly that Botswana and South Africa had extradition treaty. ENDS

In the meantime, the alleged human trafficking victims are said to be housed somewhere in the town pending the finalisation of the trial. ENDS